A person from my spiritual family in L.A. passed away right before the end of the year. His name was Bob Morrisey. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s and made the well thought out decision to end his own life before the disease took him. There is much on Facebook about it right now, and I feel the desire to honor him today in this blog.

I knew Bob because of my deep connection to the NoHo Arts Center –  the church and theater there. I had seen him perform. I had been in class with him. I had experienced several Mental Muscle Bootcamps with him. I even attended one of his big birthday bashes. I wouldn’t say he was a close friend, but I was definitely connected to him and had several heartfelt conversations with him about spirituality and theater.

The first thing that comes up for me is his decision to clearly take his own life. What comes up for me here is that we sometimes think that healing is about the person getting well and living on the physical plane. That is sometimes the case, but it is not what healing is. Healing is the revelation of our True identity and can take place in a number of ways. Each way is individual. I believe this was Bob’s way of revealing his Truth.

On another note, I would like to give thanks for Bob and his spectacular life. His talent was stellar. He was generous, honest and transparent. He didn’t mind speaking his mind even if it appeared judgmental and, yes, sometimes insulting. But, when you listened deeper you would find that he was an artist who honored talent and respected the profession he was a part of – theater. He took the time to hone his own talent and believed that others should at least respect themselves and the art itself to do the same. He was a purist.

Bob was funny and loving. I know from those who knew him more intimately that he made a huge difference in their lives and he is missed deeply. My love goes out to those people. I started to get sad myself last night, and did what we are challenged not to do in this thing called Science of Mind and Spirit, and that is to fall into morbidity. Then, it was almost like I could hear Bob’s voice. “Don’t cry for me, for goddsakes. I did what I had to do and decided to do. I did it with respect for all of you, but most of all for myself. The one thing that dishonors me is that you would feel sorry for me or mourn me in such a way as to make my life all of it, even this, less than magnificent. Please rejoice with me and support me now more than ever.”

We are all at choice. Ernest Holmes once wrote, “We cannot live a choiceless life. Every day, every moment, every second, there is a choice. If it were not so, we would not be individuals. …We have the right to choose what we wish to experience. …”

Bob did not live a choiceless life and he had the right to experience what he wished to experience or not experience. Do I think he could have stayed here and fought this one out? That’s not my choice. My only job right now is to honor him, support his decision and live my own life to the fullest and at choice at all times.

Yes, I celebrate our freedom to choose. Thank you, Bob. I understand this at an even deeper level right now because of you. I am knowing your continued choice-filled, ever-expanding journey infused with love and aloha. A hui hou!

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita